Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Class Of African American History - 1157 Words

Color You walk into the classroom and it’s the most awkward thing ever. You regret the day you signed up for this class...African American history. But why? Why did everyone inelegantly stare? Why does your skin color make matters this problematic? It’s essential that a class like African American history becomes more diverse. Most assume that this class is aiming for an African American audience. This assumption is completely misleading, but most fall the underdog to. The homogeneity society amongst the students is bare and should be altered. I’m currently enrolled in African American history. I’ve noticed there aren’t any people outside of the African American race in the class. The teacher has noticed out of all 9 years he’s been teaching the class, he’s had maybe 8 people that weren’t African American. I feel there is no imagined community within this learning space. In Pratt’s essay she tells how Benedict Anderson refers to an imagined community. Anderson’s idea of an imagined community is â€Å"communities exist as imagined entities in which people will never know most of their fellow-members, meet them or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each other lives the image of their communication†(327). All classes are expected to be diverse and full of divergence. But yet, we’re all in some way in which most think is by race, already in deep relation. The absence of nonconformity leaves a toll on the class, whereas we are interested in how people fro m different races feelShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Standing At Armageddon By Nell Irvin Essay1534 Words   |  7 PagesKadiatou Fofana Professor Mitchell US History II 2.5.15 Our History The industrial revolution introduced many new technology and improved our economic system. There have been a large increase in manufacture and machine tools since then. This led to better transportation, steam powered factories, consumer goods, a large workforce, and labour conditions. During the 1870’s , many financial issues had arise in the United States of America and in many European countries. Due to the financial crisesRead MoreIs Education A Democratic Society?1429 Words   |  6 Pageseducation, no matter what their race or social class may be. While I have my beliefs on how education in a democratic society should be, others don’t have the same beliefs differ. Our history in education has proven that. Education throughout our history has changed tremendously. Acquiring an education in our history has not always been portrayed as important as it is now. Being educated went from unimportant to almost a necessity today. Today in history, a lot of jobs will require you to have at leastRead MoreReparations : The Case For Reparations Essay1522 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscrimination and segregation? Ta-Nehisi Coates presents â€Å"The Case for Reparations† to illustrate the need of a reparation to African- American citizens. Coates explains three major concepts in his paper. He emphasizes how African- American citizens have helped create wealth, displays how the government has actually restricted African- American citizens from owning homes in history, and presents a series of compelling stories from people still suf fering discrimination and segregation today. In this paperRead MoreThe Civil War And The Great Depression1655 Words   |  7 PagesAll history textbooks should be written in manner of bringing knowledge about the past to the reader in a realistic way in which it discuses the accomplishment and downfall America had taken part in. However, in reality majority of the history textbooks cover up the truth and present biased information to the reader’s. This is an issue because it does not benefit the reader knowledge nor does it inspire them to learn about the past. Although, some of the information provide in the text, it allowsRead MoreKarl Marx and Frederick Engel Essay947 Words   |  4 PagesFrederick Engel wanted to close the gap between the ruling class and the working class. The working class were being overworked and underpaid while working in factories. Marx and Engels wanted equality in the society by advocating for a communist society, where all people have equal acc ess to resources. W.E.B Du Bois wanted African Americans to have the same equal rights as the white men. African Americans were neglected in the American society and were not allowed the same rights as the white menRead MoreThe Use of History in the Works of Hughes, Clifton and McElroy 963 Words   |  4 Pages(An analysis of how the authors Hughes, Clifton and McElroy and how they use history in their works.) Each person wakes up and they have this experience where they remember the past. They remember the day before or something that happened to them. In their mind it is their history and it shows up in their day to day actions. Our history shapes us in different ways. If we grew up with an abusive parent, then our action might reflect on our experiences. Lives are a mixture of moments that have shapedRead MoreThe History, Criticism And Theory Of The Arts935 Words   |  4 Pages both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"What Are the Humanities?†). This definition can be used to analyze the African continent; the practices and various cultural aspects that can be found in America, in particular in the African American population; as well as the international relations, and history. Interviewees were asked different questions about AfricaRead MoreAfrican Americans And The Civil Rights Movement1623 Words   |  7 Pages African Americans were brought to America during the colonial days by Britain, before the civil war, as slaves. They were the foundation of slave economy, being auctioned off and sold, with no thought given to their opinions, families, or lives. Throughout American history, African Americans have slowly fought their way towards where they are today. Their fight has developed into the Civil Rights Movement in the 1900s. Many historians would agree that the start of the Civil Rights Movement happenedRead MoreAmerican History X By Tony Kaye1130 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican History X American History X, directed by Tony Kaye, is one of the most controversial, critically-acclaimed movies of the twentieth century. The film is about a man named Derek who serves three-years in prison for murdering two African-American gang members who broke into his truck. Derek’s younger brother, Danny, tells the story of how Derek became this hateful, racist person through various flashback throughout the story. Danny and Derek’s father was killed by an African-American whileRead MoreTraditional Views Of The Antebellum South986 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Antebellum South oftentimes ignore class divides within the American South. African-Americans and Whites are oftentimes viewed as being divided by race with all Whites and African-Americans being equal. However these ideals ignore the seventy-five percent of southerners which did not own slaves and the steep divides between African-American slaves with different roles. Primary sources from authors who experienced the Antebellum South, the American Civil War, and, or Reconstruction alert their

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer - 897 Words

Geoffrey Chaucer had done many things including being a son of a merchant, page in the royal house, soldier, diplomat, and a royal clerk. Being all thing thinks he has seen quite of the world which helped him write â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and through this piece of work he did entertains us. We consider this as a masterpiece that provides the best contemporary. He wrote a collection of stories to make a political point. He died before he was done righting all of his poems and short stories. Also Chaucer is known as the father of the English language not because he made it up it’s because he was the first person to spell it. It was the language of the lower class people who talked this language. In one of the poems he wrote called â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† there are 3 people that I think are my favorite. In â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† by Chaucer there is a knight that he talks about. I choose the night as one of my favorite because in his description he sounds like someone you would want to walk a long journey with him. The knight is truthful and I think that is already a good start because sometimes when you are truthful people like to talk to you and be around you. It’s also something good that people say about you and being truthful is a good thing. I think that he has been taught well because he also has some honorable knight and I visualize a good knight having a lot of respect and also being respectful too. With the respect that he has I would think that he didn’tShow MoreRelatedThe Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer1582 Words   |  7 Pages Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the Canterbury tales a collection of short tales in the 14th century. The compilation of stories are told by different characters within the narrative as part of a game proposed by the host. Each individual must tell two stories on their journey and two stories on their way back. Each story tells some aspects of English life during the time and often added satire like qualities to the English life. In particular Chaucer often tells stories with elements of the relationshipRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer913 Words   |  4 PagesThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer consists of frame narratives were a group of pilgrims that are traveling from Southwark to the shire of St. Becker in the Canterbury Cathedral, tell each other to pass time until they arrive at their destination. During The Canterbury Tales the reader is exposed to many characters that represent all of the social classes of medieval England and the reader gets to know them from t he general prologue to each individual tale. One of these characters is the PardonerRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2127 Words   |  9 PagesIt is unknown when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, but it is assumed that he wrote it in 1387. There are many different aspects and themes throughout this paper that are very prominent. One theme that is very important is the importance of company. This entire tale is about twenty-nine pilgrims who all tell tales while on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. The importance of company is that this is a pilgrimage that requires companions and friendship. ThoughRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer1073 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced and described a variety of fictional characters that lived in the Middle Ages. It was the time period that European civilians were governed by a system called feudalism. Where kings were the head of the s ystem and everyone was categorized in social classes. In the prologue of The Canterbury Tales the first character introduced was the knight. Geoffrey Chaucer depicts the knight correctly by characterizing him as a chivalrous and honorable man,Read MoreThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer1585 Words   |  7 Pageswas published toward the end of his life, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was his longest and most popular work. The plot is made up of tales told by thirty-one different pilgrims as they embark on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. His initial idea was to have each pilgrim tell four stories a piece during the pilgrimage, but Chaucer either died before finishing or decided to change this idea, as only twenty-four tales presently make up the work. The prologue ofRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer963 Words   |  4 PagesThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of 24 stories written during the Midd le Ages. The tales were written with the intent of criticizing the functions of societal standards as well as the beliefs of the Church. â€Å"The Miller’s Tale,† one the most popular stories, offers unique insights into the customs and practices of the English middle class during the Middle Ages. The story follows the lives of John, Absolon, and Nicholas, three men who are involved with a beautiful woman namedRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2221 Words   |  9 Pagesin medieval literature is the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer. This research seeks to examine the life of Chaucer, the Canterbury Tales, and the impact and legacy of both the author and the work. Agnes Copton gave birth to a baby boy c. 1340, whom she named Geoffrey. The baby took the surname of his father John Chaucer, who came from a family of wine merchants. The family relied on strategic relationships to subsidize where they lacked in wealth. Chaucer was fluent in French, ItalianRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer2664 Words   |  11 PagesThe Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1392, during the medieval period in Europe. Three important aspects, his family’s ties to the court, his schooling and working for royalty (XI), and his love for reading and learning (XII) all combined and enabled him to create his greatest work, The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer includes many different characters, pilgrims, all from very unique walks of life. Although there are not as many women included as men, their storiesRead MoreCanterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer1380 Words   |  6 PagesCanterbury Tales Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer was a story of not the people themselves but a social statement of how the people of higher standing were viewed by the middle class. In the time that Canterbury Tales was written it was a time of corruption of the Church. There were many clergy members that were mentioned in this story. Each of the characters was unique in the way they went against the standards they should be held to. The most interesting this story was definitely TheRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer1777 Words   |  8 PagesCanterbury Tales takes place in the late 1300’s also known as the Middle ages. Prior to and at this point in time, people tend to be more conservative and to themselves. Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of these stories does something most authors didn’t do at this time, he ironically pointed out the flaws of the medieval English society. He does this by using estate satire. The Canterbury Tales is a great example of the B ritish human experience at that point in time. Chaucer does a great job describing

Monday, December 9, 2019

Global North and South in Terms of Economic Prosperity free essay sample

Therefore to address the question as to why the north became rich and the south poor, once must ask the question why the north was able to become so productive and the south not. Throughout history world GDP growth has followed a fairly equal linear trajectory up until the industrial revolution takes hold (Sachs, 2005). From there we see a rampant acceleration of productivity, rapid acceleration of economic growth and by extension, an increase to the standard of living in the north. During this time growth in the south remains stagnant, or occurs at a much slower rate. In this essay I will address the question as to why the industrial revolution happens first in the global north and also why the inequality gap still exists today. First we have to look at what prompted the Industrial Revolution to take hold. Many theories point to technological innovation, greater options for trade, geographic factors, access to raw materials and inexpensive travel routes. Britain was one of the most significant countries where the industrial revolution first occurred. The land was filled with resources that they could easily access and use in industrialization (Clark, 1987). They were also surrounded by other nations in Europe who were industrializing which offered them excellent access to trade. Finally, the natural canal and river systems offered an inexpensive and easily accessible way to transport goods and raw materials throughout the country, and being an island country offered easy access to trade routes to the rest of the world. Although these were all important contributing factors to maintain the momentum of innovation and productivity during the industrial revolution, they were supporting factors and not the primary catalysts. If we look at Gregory Clarks paper Why the World Isn’t Developed: Lessons from the Cotton Mills, he illustrates a comparison between the rates of production of countries considered developed and those considered non-developed in the textile industry. The textile industry is one of the best examples to illustrate how this divergence of wealth began, as most countries begin their journey towards industrialization with textiles. In Clark’s paper, he highlights productivity per unit of labour in the production of textiles. He concludes that given the data sets available, the developed nations were sometimes as high as 16 times more productive per unit as the non-developed (Clark, 1987, p. 158). After conducting his regressional analysis, and factoring out conditions such as cotton quality, differences in technology, and access to raw materials and other additional costs, he concludes that one of the primary factors for the difference in this production is the attitudes of the local communities in the non-developed countries. He states â€Å"Whatever limits the efficiency of workers in low-wage countries seems to attach to the local environment, not to the workers themselves. † (Clark , 1987,p. 168). He describes in the case of the workers of India, the â€Å"local effect† (Clark, 1987, p. 169). This effect prevented the companies from increasing production per worker, as workers were unwilling or uninterested in increasing their production. Perhaps this was derived from centuries of working together to survive, and this new idea of competing between neighbours was foreign to them, however that notion is beyond this essay. Ultimately it seemed that attitudes and local resistance to the new idea of organisation of labour did not appeal to non-developed nations. As a result, for over a century global northern countries were able to out-produce southern countries in the textile business. Furthermore, it spurred increased industrialization in northern countries while the south remained static in both production and innovation in newer technologies. Ultimately, this is one of the major factors that caused this original split between standard of living in as what we know today as the gap between global north and south. In Jeffrey Sachs book The End of Poverty, he explains that there is a direct correlation between positive economic growth, and a decrease in poverty rates. Once a country can become industrialized and create huge economic growth, they are able to grow at an exponential rate, leaving others who have not developed behind. Similar to Clark’s argument, Sachs agrees that the ability to pull ahead in terms of economic growth during the industrial revolution was a key reason why the global north is more developed today and the south is not, although he argues for different reasons. Clark’s main point is that efficiency and productivity were the keys to development while Sachs believes it was several other factors that helped the now developed nations pull ahead. Like Clark, Sachs uses Britain as an example to explain how Britain and other countries in the global north were able to get on the positive side of the inequality gap early on. Compared to other nations, Britain had all the right ingredients to be a first mover into the world of industrialization. Jeffrey Sachs explains that Britain had full access to the ocean, which opened up easy, low cost trade routes to North America, the rest of Europe and other parts of the world. The land was filled with resources, and was also very fertile making it perfect for agricultural use. As well, they were more advanced technologically, and finally, something unique to Britain at the time, was their individualistic society that encouraged entrepreneurs to take initiative. If you take a look at the countries in the global north, you will see their current situation is similar to what Britain’s was, during the Industrial Revolution. Countries in the global north have many of the same components; geographical advantages, abundant resources, advanced technology, and little government intervention in the economy, much like Britain did, allowing them to develop at a much quicker rate than others. All these are factors that are necessary to incite economic growth, which in turn raises income levels and standard of living. Just as there were elements that allowed some countries to develop quicker than others, there were also several elements that hindered the ability of countries to be able to grow economically. As stated earlier, economic growth and poverty levels are inversely related. As the economy grows, it creates more capital and thus lowers poverty rates. On the same notion, when the economy is stagnant, the poverty levels increase. This is referred to as the â€Å"poverty trap† (Sachs, 2005, p. 56). The poverty trap occurs when people in a poverty stricken nation use all their daily income just to survive. They are unable to save any money, which slows down economic growth, which in turn creates more poverty. It becomes a vicious cycle that can only be solved by economic stimulation (Singer, 2006). But how did the poverty trap begin in the first place, and why were other nations able to avoid this? If you look at a map of the countries with the highest poverty levels, the majority of them fall between the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn, with the highest portion being in Africa (World Bank, 2011). All the countries with more than 75% of the population living on less than $2 (PPP) per day are also located in Africa (World Bank, 2011). There are several reasons why Africa is home to such a large amount of the impoverished nations. First off, as a recurring theme, geography plays a considerable role in the development rates of countries. Many poor countries do not have easy access to trade routes as they are â€Å"landlocked† (Sachs, 2005, p. 58). This is the case for some of these Central African nations, but it is a problem that affects nations around the world as well. This can raise transportation costs, and make stimulating the economy a much more daunting task than it would be for a nation with many available ocean ports and easy trade routes. Having to spend the extra money reduces the profit leading to possible stagnation, or the lack of stimulation. Another problem faced by these nations between the two Tropics is the weather conditions. In Africa the people face arid conditions, causing low agricultural productivity (Sachs, 2005). This could partially be caused by, their two seasons: rain and drought. Under these conditions they cannot acquire capital necessary to escape poverty as these people can barely produce enough to feed themselves. Producing enough extra goods to be able to take to the market would be a herculean task for these individuals. The topic of corruption as it relates to poverty is a relatively new problem that does not receive as much attention as it deserves. Taking a look at Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (Transparency International), we can see that many of the countries near the top of this list are also countries with high poverty rates. This problem has several different explanations. One explanation is that countries in the global north are attempting to be socially responsible and send aid to poverty stricken countries. This aid is sent to spur economic growth, which as mentioned before, is the most effective way to break the cycle of the poverty trap. Unfortunately, the aid is collected by the corrupt leaders, and the people who need it the most see very little of it, if they see any at all (Kono, 2009). This continues the cycle of poverty, and does not provide the needed stimulus for growth. Foreign investment in industries is, in essence, another form of aid countries can receive. This type of aid can also be influenced negatively by corruption. One scenario has the foreign investors benefitting, and the other has the investors being driven off. Foreign investors can benefit by exploiting the poverty stricken countries abundance of labour. They take advantage of weak labour laws and according to M. Calkins and T. Radin (2006) pay them less than a liveable wage, have many safety hazards in the workplace, are abused verbally and physically, work up to 16 hour days and sometimes 7 days a week. These are known as sweatshops and are found in abundance in countries in the global south. The second scenario that occurs is where the investors are driven away due to the corruption. It is usually due to the fact they could face legal sanctions for conducting their operations in the country, or they feel their intellectual property and property rights are threatened (C. Hill, T McKaig, 2009). Poverty and the inequality gap between global north and south is a problem with much deeper roots than one might think. It cannot be described with a simple explanation that some countries are just poor while others are rich. To find out why there is this gap one must look back to when the gap was originally formed, and study why certain nations were able to industrialize, therefore putting them ahead of other nations in terms of wealth, and economic growth. Geographic location plays a major role in a countries ability to grow economically. This economic growth is the key to eradicating poverty, and eliminating the gap between global north and south. Sadly for countries in the global south, factors like corruption, poor geographical location, and little to no economic stimulation have been limiting their abilities to stimulate growth.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Undocumented Childhood in the United States

Introduction Each year, over 65.000 students graduate from American high schools. However, these students, regardless of their grades, cannot join colleges or work in the military just because they are first grade immigrants. Culturally, these students are Americans because there is very little they share with the country of birth of their parents (Immigration Policy Center, 2011). These students are bi-cultured and are quite often very fluent in English. Most of these children only get to know that they are undocumented immigrants at the time when they apply for the driver’s license. This is the time when it dawns on them that they lack social security numbers and other requisite documents that are needed during application for either driving license or a college entry. Many of the undocumented children are discouraged from applying to college and only 5-10% of them apply to join colleges. This research paper seeks to discuss policies regarding undocumented children in the United States focusing on education. The research paper will describe and analyze policies that touch on undocumented children including the policies’ social and political history. The research will bring into focus how the policies impact undocumented children and their individual families. Description and analysis of the policy on undocumented children In 1994, Proposition 187 was initiated in California to limit immigrants from accessing public services including education, health care services, and welfare benefits. This was specifically targeted on undocumented children. This proposition was passed by a large margin of the electorate (Petronicolos and New, 1999). The courts however immediately blocked enforcement of the statutes. It was until 1997 that the Federal District Court found the provisions of Proposition 187 unconstitutional. Proposition 187 negatively affected Latino children who got embroiled in culture wars (Lopez, 2005). These children had to remain hostages of immigration crisis. Proposition 209, which was a voter initiative sought to exclude undocumented children from taking part in certain activities like public education. At this point in time, complex issues that touched on the youths legal and human rights became subject of cost-benefit analysis. During these debates, issues related to tax burden and crime was raised to the consternation of everyone. Conservatives were bent on excluding undocumented children from public schools, a move that liberals opposed. However, the explanations from both sides seemed to be based on mental state of emergency where reflection and sustained reasoning were never given chance to flourish. Therefore, cultural prejudice and legitimacy of economic self-interest carried the day. It therefore became a presumption that undocumented children should have no right at all or plainly put, had no right, leave alone the right to attend public schools. The court ruling declared Proposition 187 unconstitutional. Gallegly Amendment (H.R. 1377) that would have made Proposition 187 a federal law was dropped under presidential veto. The congress in 1996 passed Immigration in the National Interest Act. It was the House of Representatives that passed the Amendment sponsored by Elton Gallegly on March 20th 1996. The Amendment later became popular as Gallegly Amendment. However, all these developments have to date not guaranteed undocumented children their civil and constitutional rights. Legislations that have been initiated in the recent past that emphasize self-sufficiency, limits immigrants access to welfare benefits. In fact, they are discouraged from seeking social benefits even if they stand to qualify. Supreme Court has not helped the course of immigrants and undocumented children because they remain ambivalent about status of education. Other than California, Texas also had laws that touched on undocumented school-aged children access to free public education. Texas allowed United States citizens and legally admitted aliens to access free public education. This can be confirmed in Plyler v. Doe (1982) when Justice Brennan held that illegal aliens also enjoy the benefits of equal protection clause. The judge of the Supreme Court also held that if Texas were to deny certain group of children access to free public education that other children residing within the borders of Texas were enjoying, then this had to be justified by the state by showing that it furthered some substantial state interest. The pretext of saving that was alluded to by Texas state officials as the reason for denying undocumented children access to education was dismissed by Justice Brennan who held that they were so insubstantial in light of the costs involved to these children, the state and the nation. The 14th Amendment held that denying some persons educational opportunities on racial basis is an invidious and irrational bias that amount to suspicious classification (Hogan and Hartson, 2009). In the ruling, the court adduced that denying one education subjects them to inestimable toll on social, economic, intellectual, and psychological well being. The court further reiterated that by denying these children access to education, a lifetime hardship was being imposed on them. The court declared the discrimination irrational because it did not further substantial goal of the state (Petronicolos and New, 1999). Marshall maintained that an individual interest in education is fundamental and denial of public education based on class goes against the grains of Equal Protection Clause as set out in the Fourteenth Amendment. Justice Brennan in Plyler opined that aliens of undocumented or illegal immigration status do not belong to ‘suspect class’ hence do not deserve extraordinary protection from majoritarian political process. This was far from the truth because aliens with undocumented status have over time been repeatedly abused, physically and psychologically, by the members of the majoritarian political process. Brennan is sympathetic about the plight of undocumented children with regard to education but fails to understand why the state has to protect them. Brennan in his dissenting ruling tries to address issues that touch on efficient means of achieving specific societal and political goals like fiscal health and public order. He, however, fails to address issues that touch on person’s interest in educational opportunity or the classification employed to limit these opportunities. This becomes apparent when Brennan states that exercise of congressional power stands to affect the prerogatives of the state to afford differential treatment to particulate class of aliens. He is categorical that with regard to special constitutional sensitivity that the Plyler case presented and in absence of contrary indication fairly discernible in the present legislative record, there is no national policy that supports the state in denying undocumented children their elementary education (Petronicolos and New, 1999). In 2002, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act was implemented. With the Act, the schools had to be accountable for the academic performance of limited English speaking children and the immigrant children. The Act literally changed the profile of the nation’s elementary and secondary student population. With the Act, the schools had to report assessment results for immigrant and undocumented children. Schools were moreover accountable for the betterment of the performance of these children. Schools that after some long period of time did not sufficiently improve the performance of these protected groups of students were subject to interventions. If the conditions fail to improve, the government is under obligation to close such schools. The Act also obligated schools where immigrant students and undocumented children learned to measure and improve their English proficiency. In fact, there is a provision in law that supports states and school districts creation of new assessment of English proficiency (Capps et al., n.d). How existing policies affect undocumented children access to education Statistics indicate that unauthorized immigrants make up almost 25% of all immigrants in the United States. However, this reasonable percentage has never ceased to be at the heart of policy impasse. Their children have become subject of unrecognized development consequences because the parents are perceived to exist in the shadow of law. Despite the fact that these youths consider themselves Americans in spirits and voice, they are nonetheless illegal in the eyes of the law. Undocumented children status is at times derogatively called ‘illegal’ without regard to the fact that they had no hand in determining where they were to be born. This was purely, their parent’s decision. The term undocumented is at times blanketly applied even if some immigrants have some form of documentation but quite often find themselves in a long wait for pending formal legal outcome. The September 11th terrorist attack in the U.S. compounded the problems faced by the legal and illegal immigrants and their children (Suarez-Orozco et al., 2011). The Visa application process has become so protracted. Children of legal immigrants who lose their jobs, consequently lose their visas and the right to stay in the United States. Regularization process that is followed for one to become a legal immigrant is long and torturous. This sometimes discourages some parents from taking their children for documentation. The process entails too much bureaucracy and higher rates of denial. Children born after their parents have stayed in the U.S. for more than two years have to wait up to when they are adults to undergo regularization process. The parents of these children meanwhile remain under threat of deportation. Undocumented status normally subject children to labyrinth of liminality that interferes with their stages of development in myriad ways. These children grow up without shared bundles of rights and obligations that structure a person’s social behavior. Another problem that undocumented children have to contend with is getting enrolled in under-resourced schools that are highly segregated. There are limited engaging opportunities in these institutions. Because of the long regularization process, parents normally attempt to regularize themselves before bringing their children. These children have to stay away from their parents. Latino children, regardless of the Plyler v. Doe ruling, face a lot of challenges with regard to their educational prospects (Suarez-Orozco et al., 2011). The education that the Latino children receive only helps in their personal growth and not for the betterment of overall conditions of the Latinos in the United States since they are banished from participating in democratic processes (Lopez, 2005). Conclusion The Californian Proposition 187 and Gallegly Amendment could have sealed the fate of Undocumented children access to free public schools had it not been for the intervention of President Bill Clinton who vetoed it. The majority ruling in Plyler v. Doe that invoked provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment also brought some glimmer of hope to the undocumented children with regard to their education. However, the Plyler majority ruling has not been very significant as undocumented children across the United States, including the Latino’s in California still suffer the consequences of Proposition 187. The future of undocumented children however, seems bright in the perspective of the inception of Dream Act. Reference List Capps, R., Fix, M., Murray J., Ost, J., and Passel, J.S. (n.d). The New Demography of  America’s Schools: Immigration and the No Child Left Behind Act. Washington: The Urban Institute. Hogan and Hartson, (2009). Legal Issues for School Districts Related to the Education  of Undocumented Children. Washington: National School Boards Association. Immigration Policy Center. (2011). The Dream Act: Creating Opportunities for immigrant  students and Supporting the U.S. Economy. Washington: Immigration Policy Center. Lopez, M.P. (2005). Reflections on Educating Latino and Latina Undocumented Children: Beyond Plyler v. Doe. Seton Hall Law Review, 35(1373). Petronicolos, L., and New, W.S. (1999). Anti-Immigrant Legislation, Social Justice, and the Right to Equal Educational Opportunity. American Educational Research  Journal, 36(3), 373-408. Suarez-Orozco, C., Yoshikawa, H., Teranishi, R.T., and Suarez-Orozco, M.M. (2011). Growing up in the Shadows: The development implications of Unauthorized Status. Harvard Educational Review, 81(3). This research paper on Undocumented Childhood in the United States was written and submitted by user Taraji Michael to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.